Page 145 - Technology Roadmap Transportation

TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP: TRANSPORTATION

adhesion realised must be improved. For this 2.9 SPECIAL WAGONS
purpose, an intelligent adhesion control system is Present portfolio of wagons does not cover
needed, which monitors the wheel slip conditions the requirement of all types of commodities
and interacts continuously with locomotive transported at present. Such special wagons need
propulsion control system and optimise the to be developed.
power to derive maximum adhesion at any given
point of time. Some developed railways have 2.9.1 Double Stacked Container
implemented fuzzy algorithms and radar based Container service, per se, is an intermodal
sensing for achieving this. transport, as it can be transported by road, rail,
sea etc. Use of double stack containers in rail
Many modern locomotives presently used by transport just doubles the carrying capacity. Indian
Indian Railways have some level of adhesion railways should develop wagons suitable for
control system, but there is room for further carrying double stack containers. As a corollary
improvement. to this, the tracks also need to be augmented for
higher axle load of 30 - 35 tonne.
2.7 SIGNALLING AND TRAFFIC
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 2.9.2 Wagons for refrigerated goods
For safe and efficient running of trains at high At present, Indian Railways have a fleet of 10
speed and maintaining the scheduled time, refrigerated parcel vans, which are attached to
signalling, communications and control play a long distance mail/express trains as per demand.
vital role. Europe, in coordination with UIC – About 98 insulated-ventilated containers are
the International Union of Railways – was the running on Indian Railways as special trains as
pioneer in evolving a standard for signalling, train per demand. More Wagons suitable for carrying
operation and control requirements, termed as refrigerated goods need to be developed. This will
ETCS (European Train Control System). It defines enable transport of perishables from one part of
various standards and interfaces of track, rolling the country to another part without any damage.
stock, signalling and communication equipment, Moreover, preferential transport of perishable
which has to work in an integrated way. The ETCS goods is also required much attention.
has also evolved over the years and different
levels have come over a period of time. 2.10 BRIDGING THE GAP
Many of the challenges in future are expected
With the introduction of vehicle to wayside to be tackled through appropriate technological
communication over a dedicated frequency inputs in various spheres. Before we really think
band GSM-R, the entire system has been about what we would do in the next 20 years, it
integrated and is known as ERTMS (European is worth auditing the present Indian scenario with
Traffic Management System), which essentially is that of the developed world.
a combination of ETCS Level 3 and GSM-R. The
latest prevailing ETCS Level 3 is a radio based Even today, there is considerable gap between
train control system (communication based India and the ‘Best in the World’. In the next
train control). Europe leads in implementation 20 years, it is quite natural that many new
of the ERTMS, while in Asia, China, Taiwan and technologies will evolve which would change
South Korea lead in making new contracts for things that we see today. In order to catch up with
implementation[23]. Indian Railways are yet this race, we literally have to leap forward. Railway
to implement, but only some subtle move has technology is not so restricted unlike defence or
started. space technology, and the same can be bought at
a cost. A technology partnership with ‘Best in the
ERTMS needs both trackside and on-board World’ in each sphere of activity is possible. Indian
implementation and it tremendously improves Railways is moving in this direction and with Indian
throughput and enhances safety considerably. economy opening up, this is quite achievable.
Indian industries could not come any closer to the
2.8 PASSENGER COMFORT leaders in the railway technology in developed
For increasing the riding comfort, some developed countries, may it be high speed, propulsion system
railways use tilting technology for high-speed or signalling, and there are reasons as well, which
trains. The passenger carriages used in Indian may be answered in subsequent sections.
Railways do not offer good riding comfort at high
speeds and needs changes in design.

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